Creamy Mac & "Cheese"

No, it isn’t cheese. Even if it may fool you with it’s golden color, smooth, velvety texture, and rich, irresistible taste. (Photo source: Jared Kent)

| Yield: 4-6 servings | Time: 35 minutes |

Adapted from Vegan Yumminess

Ingredients

10 ounces dried macaroni noodles

1 cup yellow potatoes (or russets), peeled and diced

¼ cup carrots, peeled and diced

½ cup chopped white onion

¾ cup water (preferably use liquid from pot of boiled veggies)

½ cup raw cashews

¼ cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni to al dente according to the instructions on the packaging. Use a slotted spoon to remove the noodles from the water and transfer them into a bowl. Set the noodles aside until ready to serve, but save the water.

Place the chopped potatoes, carrots, and onions in the same water the pasta was cooked in and boil for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and soft enough to blend. Cooking time will vary slightly, depending on how small you have chopped your veggies.

When the veggies are soft enough to blend, use a slotted spoon to remove them from cooking water, and transfer them into a blender. Add about ¾ cup of the cooking water into the blender along with all the remaining ingredients. Blend until very smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni noodles in a dish of your choice, stir to coat evenly, and serve immediately.

Zero-waste tips

• To clean out the pantry, you could substitute in any dried pasta you have on hand.

• Use any leftover carrot or onion scraps to make a delicious homemade vegetable stock.

• Toss the potato peels with a little olive oil and bake them until crispy to make a crunchy snack.